Catching Rose
by LiveAndDieLove
Summary: Rose has always been like her mother, Katniss. When Gale and his family, including 2 very attractive sons, move back into town, Rose must find out how to handle her life and keep a foothold on reality.


**Hey Everyone! So this is my Hunger Games Fic! It's in the future, based on Katniss' daughter at 17. I hope you enjoy! Feedback is very Welcome! I'll add new chapters as soon as possible!**

Chapter 1

I hopped from branch to branch, barley staying on each for more than a second. When I got to one about ten feet off the ground, I leapt forward, tucking in and tumbling as I reached the ground. Perfect landing.

"Show off," Finn chuckled. He'd been on the ground under the tree; painting in a book that father had just given him. His blonde hair was covering his gray eyes, the eyes that mother called Seam eyes.

"Yeah, I know," I said as I bent forward and scruffed his hair. I rarely got this opportunity. Though Finn was nearly 3 years younger than I and newly 15, he still towered over me by at least a head. "We should head home. Its nearly dark and you know mother doesn't like us staying out too late."

I extended my hand, and though he didn't need it, he took it. I gave a half effort to pull him up. I bent down again and picked up my bow, arrows, game bag and jacket. I slipped into the soft, brown leather and slung the quiver onto my back. I put my bow on my arm and rested it on my shoulder, barley feeling its lightweight. Finn tucked his book under his arm and I gave him the game bag to hold. We started to walk from the meadow to home.

Walking through the meadow was like walking through paradise, or so I thought before I found out what-or who- was buried beneath my feet. Mother said that when she was a girl, she would sneak out of town just to feel the bliss. Nowadays, I don't have to sneak out, but I do enjoy sneaking away for a moment of peace.

Mother and Father have told me little about what happened before I was born and even those little bits of knowledge, they say are too much. But what I do know is that in my lifetime, Panem has come far. It's a free country, without war and less intense restrictions. They are still making adjustments and refining the new laws, but mother and father remind Finn and I everyday how lucky we are. We have a home, we have food and are never left hungry, we have a mother and father that love us and we are safe. I know all of this is true, but I need to know more.

At the edge of the meadow, Finn and I looked down on our District. Houses had been rebuilt and trees and flowers were planted. The town square was lined with shops, including Father's bakery and a store called the Hob. Mother said that it was named after the black market where she would exchange her game for other food. Though she doesn't talk much about the past, when she spoke of the Hob, it always put a sad smile on her face.

"Race you home?" Finn questioned. I knew how fast he was, but I also knew my own strength.

"On the count of 3. 1, 2…HEY!" He had already started bounding down the hill towards home. I chased after him, jumping over rocks and branches. We continued to run, constantly changing between being in the lead. We ran through the streets, avoiding running into a pedestrian. I could feel my heart racing but I knew it would take much more than a run down the hill to wear me out. My long, dark brown waves whipped wildly behind me as I sprinted faster and faster. I felt a satisfactory burn in my legs, a burn that reminded me how capable I actually was.

I turned my head around slightly, after noticing that Finn wasn't at my heels. He was at least 2 yards behind me, his face red and his breathing hard. I laughed audibly and I could see him shaking his head back and forth.

We'd reached the center of town. I dodged the people, weaving my way in and out to avoid collision. I ran in the opposite direction of our marble justice building, towards the victor's village, where my family and I lived. Leaving the town square, I could see the green grass in my front yard, trimmed with flowers and trees. I could see the rocks that lined the edge of the garden, each with a name carved into them. My aunt Prim, my parent's friend Finnick-who Finn had been named after, my mothers friend Cinna and multiple other names. Some of the people I was aware of and others I didn't dare ask about. The one thing they all had in common was that they were dead.

As I approached, the details of the home and the garden became more prominent. I ran up the brick steps and sat on the top one, right in front of the door. To my left, Effie stirred in the rocker she was sitting in and meowed while Tigris crawled over to sit in my lap. The cats were strays that Finn had grown fond of when he was little. He started to feed them and they decided that they would become permanent residents. Effie was a bright marmalade color with a pink nose and blue eyes, where as Tigris was dark orange with black stripes and green eyes. For strays, they were gorgeous cats. Overtime, I began to grow fond of them as well, though I preferred my dog to both.

Finn finally came running up to the steps. At the bottom, he bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing hard. Finn was in shape, but when it came between us, I often triumphed.

"Well that was a nice jog!" I grinned at him and he just looked up and laughed. He dragged himself up the steps and plopped down right next to me.

"How do you do that?" He asked.

"Do what?"

"Run like that. I've never seen anyone faster than you. Even mother can't run like that and we all know how she is when it comes to training."

"Oh, I don't know. Lots of training I suppose. Just keep your legs moving. Lets go inside."

I gave Tigris to Finn and opened the door for him. He stood up with the cat in his arms and walked through the door, Effie dodging into the house between his feet. I stepped inside and instantly smelt the fresh bread that father was baking. Finn handed me the game bag and went up the stairs, the cats following behind him. I was somewhat surprised that Bleu hadn't shown up yet, as he normally bounds down the stairs to greet me.

I walked into the kitchen and as I was about to throw the game bag onto the table, I saw mother and father sitting there, with two men I had never seen before. Mother caught my eye and smiled, and with the pause in conversation, the others looked up at me. One of the men was older, mother and fathers age, with dark hair that had started graying. He had a defined jawline and was fit for his age. His eyes were just like Mothers and Finn's- Seam eyes. The man next to him was my age. He looked a lot like the older man, so I presumed they were father and son. His eyes too were Seam eyes.

I looked to father, who seemed quite stiff and uptight. Normally, he was very relaxed and happy, but it seemed as though something was wrong. Mother, on the other hand, was glowing. Radiant, really. Her eyes were crinkled and her smile never left her face.

"Rose, this is my old friend, Gale and his son, Wren."

"I've never heard of him before." I looked at Mother and her smile faltered slightly. I was feeling uncomfortable in my own home. I didn't know these men and the fact that Father looked so uptight effected my feelings as well. Finn came up behind where I was standing in the entrance of the kitchen.

He put his hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but then looked past me and saw the strangers. His mouth snapped shut and he tensed. Finn was normally very friendly and welcoming, but like Father, he was also very protective. He looked to Father, who cleared his throat and said "Finnick, this is Gale and Wren. Gale was your Mothers'…friend, growing up and Wren is his son." Father looked down. The pause before the word "friend" did not go unnoticed.

Mother recomposed herself and stood up. She walked over to me and put her hand out for my game bag. Mother taught me to hunt and though she tried to teach Finn as well, he was a lost cause, preferring to bake and paint-just like father. She used to come out with me, quite often, but in the past year, the times have been fewer and fewer. Her excuse is age, but I'm almost positive that its more to just allow me some time to myself, to clear my head. She explained that's what hunting did for her, before the games.

"What did you get today? The bag feels heavier than usual," She took it and brought it over to the counter. She emptied the contents onto the clean wood counter. "A turkey and a rabbit. Well done."

I felt the weight of a gaze on me. I turned to look to the men and saw that Wren was openly staring. He didn't even care that I caught him, all he did was smile. Finn squeezed past me and sat at Mothers empty spot at the table.

"I think I'm going to go upstairs and get washed up," I turned and walked out of the doorway as I said it.

"Rose, Gale and Wren will be staying a few days, in the guest bedroom. Would you mind showing Wren the way?" Mother called after me.

"Yea, all right." Wren got up and walked over to me. I was finally able to size him up. He was tall, a little taller than Finn, maybe. Along with being tall, he was quite muscular. His brown hair was cut short, and somewhat spikey, showing off his facial features- sharp cheekbones and piercing eyes were among them. He was quite handsome, not like the boys I went to school with.

He smiled at me and I felt my knees wobble. "Lead the way," he said. I started to walk silently, cutting through the dining room to get to the staircase.

"So you hunt?" he asked.

"Yea, I do."

"That's a nice bow. Dad tried to teach me how to use a bow, but it was a failed attempt. I'm alright with snares and wicked with a gun."

His comment about my bow reminded me that I still had it resting on my shoulder with the quiver hanging from my back. We'd reached the top of the stairs by then and I heard a faint scratching.

"Just a moment," I said to Wren. I jogged two steps to my door and opened it. Immediately, Bleu sprung out and jumped on me and licked my chin. This was his way of greeting me, and I didn't mind that he jumped, cause he only does it when he first see's me. I ducked into my room and took off the quiver and bow and rested them against the desk. I slipped out of my jacket and drapped it over the back of the chair.

I went back into the hallway with Bleu following me. From now until I left for school tomorrow, there was little chance that he would be by my side. I'd had the him since he was a pup. He looked very much like a wolf, but there were slight differences that made me know he wasn't one. It was quite possible though that at some point, a had wolf bred into his family.

Back in the hallway, I caught Wren looking me up and down. I smiled to myself. I was wearing my typical hunting clothes, minus the jacket. I had on a fitted white t-shirt, brown pants and tall brown boots. Suddenly he stopped the gazing, and bent down to pet Bleu. Like Father and Finn, Bleu was very protective, especially of me. Bleu bared his teeth and Wren, and in turn, Wren smiled. He put out his hand, waiting for Bleu to sniff it. Eventually, he did and cautiously took two steps in Wren's direction. He lightly and slowly patted Bleu on the head and then stood up.

"He's a beauty, what's his name?" he asked.

"Bleu. He's a sweetie, once you get to know him." I started walking forward. Once we reached the third door on the left, I stopped and opened it. "I guess this is where you and your Father will be staying. The bathroom is the second door on the left. You know where my room is and Finn's room is across the hall from mine. Just knock if you need anything."

"Awesome, thanks. Its great of that you're family is letting us stay here while we get a house sorted out. It won't be too long before we get one, then everyone will come," He said with a smile.

"A house sorted? Everyone?"

"Yea. Dad wants to move back home. He said that he needed to stop running from the past and help his home. Something like that. Once we get a house, then the rest of my family will come over. My twin brother Talon and my little sister Ari."

"What about your mother?"

"Oh, Mom died after Ari was born."

"I'm so sorry."

"Its fine. No one's fault, really. I better get my stuff unpacked. We should talk later, yeah?"

"Yeah, that sounds nice." I had butterflies in my stomach. I smiled and turned around. Trudging to the bathroom. I turned on the hot water and stepped in. The smile had not yet left my face.


End file.
